8 High-Protein Breakfasts You Can Make Ahead of Time

I speak from experience when I say that it’s much easier to pull yourself out of bed in the morning when you know that breakfast is already made and waiting for you. In an ideal world, I’d wake up every day and assemble a plate of soft-scrambled eggs, perfectly broiled tomatoes, and extra grainy toast to eat alongside a double-shot latte, but that just isn’t my life. Because, while it’s true that I’m a culinary-school graduate, a food editor, and a recipe developer…I’m also a city-dwelling twentysomething who loves hitting the snooze button and often ends up eating breakfast on the subway.
With all of that in mind, I set out to write a set of no-cook, high-protein, grab-and-go breakfast recipes that can be prepped ahead of time, using as few ingredients as possible while still keeping things interesting. I followed some simple R.D.-approved guidelines to make sure that each breakfast is healthy and energizing.
The eight no-cook, make-ahead recipes below are easy and delicious, and you can make them all from a single 14-ingredient shopping list.
Each recipe makes two servings. Four of the recipes need to be refrigerated and will keep for up to five days, and four of them can be frozen for up to three months. I’d suggest prepping all of the freezable recipes at once, since that means you won’t have to whip out your blender week after week. Since the refrigerated breakfasts have a shorter shelf life, you can choose one or two to prep at the start of each week. Most of the ingredients are shelf-stable pantry staples or frozen fruit, so you can buy everything in bulk and have enough to make breakfast for several weeks or months. I also like to buy a few bunches of bananas at a time, then peel and freeze them when they’re super ripe, which means I always have them ready for smoothies or oats. The dairy items (cottage cheese and Greek yogurt) are perishable but will stay good in your fridge for about a week, depending on the expiration date, so you should buy only as much as you need for the week ahead.
All of the breakfasts have 330 to 370 calories, at least 16 grams of protein, and no added sugar.
One question we hear a lot from readers is “How big should my breakfast be?” Honestly, it depends on all kinds of things—factors like age, weight, gender, and activity level, plus personal details like how hungry you usually are when you wake up, how much you like to eat at other meals, and how often you snack. That said, 300 to 400 calories is a good, medium-size breakfast for many people (more on that here), so all of these recipes are right in the middle of that range.
Each of the recipes also has 16 to 20 grams of protein per serving, which is just above the minimum amount (15 grams) that registered dietitians recommend eating at every meal. And, the recipes have no added sugar. Instead, they get their sweetness from the naturally occurring sugars in fruit and dairy products.
A little note about all of this nutrition stuff: Food is a very personal thing, and everybody’s calorie and macronutrient needs and preferences are different. If you’re trying to figure out how much you should aim to eat every day, the USDA recommends this calculator. If you’re still confused about what exactly you should be eating to best support your health and your goals, reach out to your doctor or a registered dietitian. There’s a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to healthy eating, and talking to a certified expert can be really helpful in figuring out realistic and personalized nutrition guidelines.
Want to know what’s on the menu? Here are all eight breakfasts, plus the ingredients you’ll need to make them. Scroll down for the full recipes, and get going on that breakfast prep!
Here’s exactly how much of everything you need to make all eight of the recipes, each of which makes two servings:
FRESH PRODUCE:
Baby spinach, 2 cups (freeze in a resealable bag)
Bananas, 10 (when they’re very ripe, peel and freeze in a resealable bag)

2. Cherry Chia FroYo With Peanut Butter
cherry chia peanut butter no cook breakfast
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Cristina Cianci
Frozen cherries are great in smoothies, healthy desserts, and oatmeal. They sweeten and flavor this easy breakfast recipe. This recipe will keep for up to three months in the freezer.

3. Banana Overnight Oats With Pistachios
banana overnight oats no cook recipe
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Cristina Cianci
Bananas are one of my favorite smoothie and oatmeal add-ins because they add sweetness but also a fluffy, creamy texture. This recipe will keep for up to five days in the fridge.

4. Pineapple Pistachio Green Smoothie
pineapple pistachio no cook breakfast
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Cristina Cianci
Pineapple smoothies are sweet and really refreshing. Another plus? The pineapple flavor is so strong that there’s no chance of tasting the handful of spinach blended in there. This recipe will keep for up to three months in the freezer.

6. Banana Smoothie
banana smoothie no cook breakfast
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Cristina Cianci
This otherwise straightforward smoothie has a twist: It’s made with cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt, which means it’s slightly tangy and tastes a little like banana cheesecake. This recipe will keep for up to three months in the freezer.

7. Mango Chia Overnight Oats
mango chia no cook breakfast
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Cristina Cianci
Mango is super delicious, but it’s often hard to find fresh mangoes at the store. Luckily, you can pretty much always find bags of frozen mango chunks in the freezer section. This recipe will keep for up to five days in the fridge.

8. Cherry Pistachio Smoothie
cherry pistachio no cook breakfast
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Cristina Cianci
Pistachios are great in smoothies because they add healthy fats but also an unexpected subtle flavor. This recipe will keep for up to three months in the freezer.